Peru – South America

Esperança in Peru

Esperança expanded to Peru in 2014 in partnership with indigenous organization, CADEP. Located in the region of Cuzco, we are working to transform the health and quality of life for hundreds of families in the Peruvian highlands.

We work with local government authorities, community leaders, teachers, and families to determine priorities and accomplish our goals. All of our work with the goal of building capacity with the communities, and we prioritize preserving cultural and indigenous traditions.

Close to the city of Cuzco is the well-known attraction, Machu Picchu, leading thousands of tourists to pass through this city on an annual basis. What many do not know is that just beyond the city and in the Peruvian highlands lie hundreds of rural villages, filled with families who live in conditions of extreme poverty. In fact, just to reach some of these villages can take 8-12 hours by car on windy, treacherous roads. Local farmers, mothers, teachers, nurses, and government authorities expressed their concern for malnourished children, unclean drinking water, and poor housing conditions. Despite this area being a top producers of potatoes, families asked to learn how to plant more fruits and vegetables so that their diet would be better balanced. The high altitude and mountainous, bare, terrain makes it difficult to sustain diverse crops.

Our plans for bringing health to the Peruvian people include:

Building ecological homes that are safe, environmentally-friendly, and decrease risk for disease

Training local farmers on using indigenous potato varieties for improved agricultural production

Educating families on the prevention of diseases like diarrhea, respiratory infection, and other health illnesses that affect local villages

Providing clean water sources through filtration systems and chlorine for each home